Hinged compressor



Dec. 11, 1928. 1,695,257

E. oHNs'rRAND HINGED COMPRESSOR Filed Nov. 20, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet; 2

Patented Dec. ll, 1928.

Ul'lED ST TES' ENOCI-I OHNSTRAND, OF KENMORE, NEW YORK.

HINGED COMPRESSOR.

Application filed November 20, 1926. Serial 116,143,777.

This invention relates to trays or filing drawers of the kindcustomarily used to hold ledger cards or sheets for reference or forremoval for the purpose of inserting additional s data thereon, and moreparticularlyto improved locking means for clamping the cards within thetray during its transportation, as for example between its cabinet andthe desk of a clerk. f

The invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement ofelements set forth in the following specification and includes' theprovision of simple yet effective locking or clamping means adapted tosecure the ledger- 16 cards within the tray but permitting a fullinspection and ready removal of the cards when desired, and the furtherprovision of means permitting such inspection or removal withoutdisturbing the adjustment of one element of the clamping means.

In general the invention comprises a tray of the ordinary type, afollower movable lengthwise of the tray and adjustable to a variety ofpositions, and a compressor plate for clamping the ledger cards againstthe follower, having a double hinged connection to the front end of thetray and an actuatingbail associated therewith adapted to be low ered tocompress the plate against the cards or to be raised permitting theplate to tilt forwardly against the box end.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Fig. 1 is' a central longitudinal section of a trayshowing the compressor plate in rearward clamped position, in solidlines, and in its most forward position, in broken lines;

Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, with portionsof the device in elevation;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device showing an intermediateposition of the compressor plate; and

Fig. 4 is a broken central longitudinal section of Fig. 3. j

The'ledger tray 5 preferably consists of a substantially rectangular boxof sheet metal, open at the top and having a bottomv wall 6 with bent upportions 7 constituting side walls bottom of thev tray may be providedwith a* false bottom consisting of longitudinal side panels 13 and acentral channel strip lll having inturned flanges 15 extendinglengthwise of the tray. Retaining flanges 16 riveted to the front andrear walls of the tray secure the false bottom against removal or'displacement. f

The compressor 17, a thiinfiat plate of sheet metal, is mounted forswinging movement upon a double hinger consisting of three transversehinge leaves, the outer leaves 18 and 2O being riveted to the falsebottom adjacent the front wall and to the lower edge of the compressorplate 17, respectively, and the center leaf 19, of appreciable width,constituting a freely swinging leaf member or toggle between the hinges21 and 22, extending transversely of the tray, by which it is pivotallyconnected to the leaves 18 and 20 respectively, the hinge 22 beingpositioned adl jacent the lower edge of plate 17.

In the compression position of the plate 17, shown in solid lines in Figfl, the center leaf 19 and hinge member 22 lie iiatwise kupon theupper surface of the false bottom panels 19, permitting the lower edgeof the compres-` sor plate vto rest adjacent said false bottom.` rlhecompressor plate is locked in this position by means of the bail member23 which is preferably a U-shaped metal rod of suitable stiffness andstrength having outwardly bent ends 24E engaging socket members 25mounted upon the upper edge ofthe front wall 8, which` may bestrengthened by a reinforcing strip. The cross-bar portion 26 of bail 23slides vertically of the compressor plate within guide straps 27fastened to the forward face thereof at either end, but in said operatedposition the side portions of the. bail incline downwardlyl toward theplate 17 so that the cross-bar 26 abuts the lowerv shoulders ofthestraps 27 in a horizontal plane below the plane of the bail ends 211,thus effectively locking the plate in its compressed position. Thev sidearms of the bail are preferably of such length that in said position thetop of the compressor plate is'inclined rearwardly of the tray.

W hen the tray is in use for the purpose of consulting or removing theledger cards, thev central hinge leaf 19 is then swung upwardly from thetray bottom, an increased longitudinal spaceis provided for the cardswithf out disturbing the position of the follower. This feature is verydesirable when a. relatively large number of cards are filed in thetray, since it permits the cards to be separated, allowing a full viewof the data inscribed on the cards including the entries adjacent theirbottom edges, and also permits the temporary or permanent insertion of anumber of cards in the tray before the follower need be readjusted.`Such readjustment is necessary only when a larger or smaller number ofcards are to be reclamped for storage, and the operation is easilyperformed by releasing the follower, setting the compressor plate tointermediate position, re-

f* for concomitantly tilting the compressor away from the cards andwithdrawing the bottom of the compressor a predetermined distance fromthe cards, the upper ond compressor being preferably spaced from thecards a greater distance than the lower end, and resting upon the frontend of the tray, the compressor also having an intermediate position inwhich the bottom of the compressor is in clamping position while the topis spaced from the cards permitting the adjustment of the follower to avaried number of cards.

A ledger tray constructed in accordance with the foregoing descriptionmay be simply and economically fabricated, the majority of elementsbeing stamped from sheet metal, and possesses many novel and improvedfeatures, but, since various structural modifications may be embodied inan operable device, it is not my intention that my invention be limitedto the exact construction shown, eX- cept as it is defined by thefollowing claims.

I claim:

l. A tray for holding a group of cards or the like comprising anabutment and a compressor for clamping the cards together, means forbodily lifting and tilting the compressor upwardly and away from thecards into a position wherein the lower end ofthe compressor is spacedfrom the cards and the upper end is spaced a greater distance therefrom,and a face plate slidably associated with said compressor so that it`tilts with the compressor without lifting.

2. A filing tray having therein a compressor extending transverselythereof and pivoted adjacent its lower edge for swinging movement, adouble hinge having one hinge member attached to said compressor, theother hingemember fixed to the bottom portion of the tray, and a freelyswinging leaf portion between said hinge members to permit thecompressor to be swung upwardly from the tray bottom, and actuatingmeans for operating said compressor movement.

8. Ay filing tray having therein a compressor extending transverselythereof and pivoted adjacent its lower edge for swinging movement, ahinge attached to said lower edge permitting said movement, said hinge ehaving a freely swinging leaf portion pivoted to a second transversehinge and said second hinge being fixed to a bottom portion ofthe traynear the front wall of thetray but spaced therefrom, wherebyv the com?pressor may be swung forwardly of the tray and upwardly from said bottomportion to provide greater space to the rear of the compressor, andactuating means for operating the movement of compressor.

si. A filing tray having therein a com pressor extending transverselythereof and pivoted adjacent its lower edge for swinging movement, ahinge attached to said lower edge permitting said movement, saidhingehaving a freely swinging leaf portion piv oted to a second transversehinge and said second hinge being fixed to a bottom portion of the traynear the front wall of the tray but spaced therefrom, whereby the`compressor may be tilted forwardly against the front wall of the trayin one position with its lower edge raised from the tray bottom and inanother position may be tilted forwardly of the tray with its lower edgeresting adjacent said bottom, said actuating `means also operating totilt the compressor rearwardly from said second position to lock thecompressor. Y

5. A filing tray having therein a compressor extending transverselythereof and pivoted adjacent its lower edge for swinging movement, ahinge attached to said lower edge permitting said movement, said hingehaving a freely swinging leaf portion pivoted to a second transversehinge and said second hinge being fixed to a bottom portion of the traynear the front wall of the tray but spaced therefrom, whereby thecompressor may be swung forwardly of the tray and upwardly from saidbottom portion to provide greater space to the rear of the compressor,and a guard plate mounted for ver-V tical sliding movement on the backface of the compressor so that its lower edge rests upon the tray bottomduring swinging movement of the compressor, thereby protecting saidhinges. j Y f 6. A tiling tray having therein a compressor extendingtransversely thereof and Uil pivoted adjacent its lower edge forswinging movement, a hinge attached to said lower edge permitting saidmovement, said hinge having a 'freely swinging leaf portion'pivoted to asecond transverse hinge and said second hinge being lined to a bottomportion of the tray near the front wall of the tray but spacedtherefrom, whereby the compresser may be swung forwardly of the'tray andupwardly from said bott-om portion to provide greater space to the rearof the compressor, a bail member pivoted at its ends upon the front wallot the tray to swing up and down adjacent the front tace of tbe compresser to cause said swinging movement thereof, and a strap attached tosaid compressor face for guiding and limiting said up and down movementofthe bail whereby the compressor may be tilted `:forwardly against thefront wall of the tray, said strap having a shoulder engaging the top otsaid wall to hold the compressor in said *forward position. Y

7. A tray for holding a group ot cards or the like, comprising anabutment, a compresser for clamping the cards together, means hingedlyconnected to the tray and the compressor at spaced points adapted topermit movement of said compressor bodily away from said cardsandrelative to said tray, and means for retaining` said compressor in cardcompressing position.

8. A tray tor holding a group of cards or the like, comprising anabutment, a compressor for clamping the cards together, means for bodilyelevating said compressor relative to the tray in movement from cardcompressing to non-compressing relation, said means permitting tiltingot said compressor, means i'or operating and retaining said compressorin card compressing position, and means for limiting operation of tbelast mentioned means ormedfor cooperation with tray carried means tosupport said compressor in disengaged relation relative to the cards.-

, 9. A. tray for holding a group of cards or the like, comprising anabutment, a' compressor 'for clamping the cards together, means forn'ioving said compressor longitudinally and laterally relative to saidcards from coinpressing to non-compressing position, and meansinterposed between the compressor and cards movable only longitudinallyrelative to the cards with said compressor.

ENOCH Ol-INSTRAND.

